The Civil Society Organization (CSO) Alliance is actively fostering collaboration between the government and the public to boost economic and social development within Bangladesh.
Speakers said this at a research book review program titled “50 years of Bangladesh Independence: Legacies of Civil Society Organizations on Socio-Economic Change” at Brac Centre Inn, Dhaka on Tuesday.
They said this is not a research report, it is a legacy report designed to document the activities of CSO in the last 50 years. This report book has been prepared only by recording the activities of the organizations registered under NGO Bureau.
This study was recently conducted by the initiative of CSO, a coalition of about 300 non-governmental development organizations, civil organizations/platforms, women's movements, human rights organizations, social entrepreneurs, and researchers working in Bangladesh. The main researcher Khandkar Golam Moazzem, director of research at the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) presented the summary of the overview.
The speakers said the alliance in the last five decades has been working to fill the gap in socio-economic development activities initiated by the government and private organizations.
CSO is recording the empowerment of marginalized and oppressed people, although these activities were not recorded before.
CSO Alliance Convenor and Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) Executive Director Rasheda K Choudhury said: This study explores Bangladesh's development in detail and highlights the important roles of these organizations. Despite facing challenges, their work reinforces the idea that achieving development goals is a shared responsibility, which requires CSO's active participation.
Khandkar Golam Moazzem said: “Bangladesh will have to become more innovative and productive to complete the remaining stages for achieving the SDGa journey in which CSOs will have to play a more supportive role.”
He further said: “Over the years, considering the changing developmental needs, the role of the CSO will have to be different in the days to come. Bangladesh is set to leave the least developed country group to join the developing country club by 2026. Activities and funding of INGOs have changed and taken different forms and the amount of funding has decreased.”
This overview recommends CSO should rethink their roles in humanitarian efforts. They can help build a resistance to processes that exploit and exclude people. This includes redistributing resources, promoting fairness in markets, and making sure that economic institutions are responsible for what they do.
Human rights activist Sultana Kamal said: “The Bangladesh Mahila Parishad started working to protect the rights of women and children from 1969 before the liberation war. In addition, this organization has played a role in various fields including anti-abuse law and anti-dowry law.”
Brac Executive Director Asif Saleh said: "Many socio-economic initiatives have been taken in Bangladesh. In many cases these activities are not properly recorded. The cultural change that has taken place in Bangladesh in the last 50 years, from human development to women's empowerment or equal rights, the role of CSO is known to all. Especially those who are rural people.”
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad General Secretary Dr Maleka Banu said: “The organization is committed to constructing a nation founded on principles of equality, harmony, and humanity as per the constitution.”
Despite these efforts, she noted that society continues to struggle with significant discrimination and anti-women attitudes.
Action Aid Bangladesh Country Director Farah Kabir said: “The organizations have actively operated in the evolving scenario after independence.”
In addition to chronicling their contributions over the past 50 years, she emphasized the importance of highlighting exemplary figures for the new generation.
Manusher Jonno Foundation Executive Director Shaheen Anam said: “CSO are dedicated to constructing a nation that is non-discriminatory, democratic, and secular.”
The socio-economic development that has taken place in the country in the 50 years of Bangladesh's independence has been divided into eight sectors and recorded in this overview report. Included agriculture development and food security: Micro Financing and entrepreneurship: quality education and skill development: health, nutrition, and population management; gender equality and women empowerment; environment, climate change and disaster risk reduction; water sanitation, ad hygiene, inclusive development- mainstreaming the excluded and social mobilization.
Apart from this, on behalf of CSO, Asia Foundation Country Representative Kazi Faisal Bin Seraj and National Alliance of Humanitarian Accords in Bangladesh (NAHAB) Advisor Dr Ehsanur Rahman were also spoke.
Speakers in the event expressed hope that this overview report on the role of civil organizations in the country's social, economic, and cultural changes in this month of victory will be able to attract the attention of all concerned and will be accepted in the policy-making circles in the next development plan.